Managing Director, Neil Barron has a background in engineering and manufacturing through Rolls-Royce sponsorship and Aeronautical Engineering: this was later complemented by studying Industrial Design at postgraduate level and by engaging in research at the Royal College of Art, London for the award of Master of Philosophy. Neil continues his links with education as a part time senior lecturer at the Royal College of Art. Other members of Gusto are Graduates and Postgraduates in Industrial Design and Three Dimensional Design. Gusto operates a flexible company structure to enable teams to be assembled on a project by project basis.

Some of the stages involved in a typical project are:-

Theme Development - expressive objects or images which define a project before a brief is available.

Conceptual Design - divergent thinking. Drawing - we draw extensively throughout most projects (eg Lego). Identification of opportunities. Invention.

Strategic Design - this is a consciously broad version of conceptual design involving the purposeful development of strategies, brands and product ranges over longer term. (eg Lego)

Design Development - we take disparate design concepts and synthesize them into one or more coherent design solutions. Convergent thinking. (eg Brooke Bond Cabinet)

Model Making & Prototyping - we generate an engineering specification for models or prototypes of objects before committing the client to any production investment. These can be extremely detailed and convincing and can be used for press and advance publicity before any production objects are available.

Computer Solid & Surface Modelling/CAD - we generate computer models of final objects to resolve visual and technical issues in a cost effective way (eg Tea Products). We also employ rapid prototyping which is essentially model-making driven by the computer data (eg Polarbox lunch box models produced by steriolithography) . Computer graphic manipulations are used for the simple exploration of colour or material or configuration/detailing.

Production Design - we have experience of an extremely wide selection of materials and production processes from high volume injection moulded plastics to low volume CNC metal working. (eg Guinness Surfer, Sticklebook, Brooke Bond Cabinet)

Packaging - we will design packaging if there is a challenging core idea. (eg The Body Shop)

Production Liaison with toolmakers, moulders and manufacturers - an essential element to any project. As far as possible we try to insist on continued involvement with a project through to production and beyond. That way, we can ensure that the original vision is realised fully in the final production objects.

If you are interested in our services please contact us at clients@gusto.co.uk